[indianrunner]

Hi,

I am thinking about taking a driving holiday to Leh shortly.

I was planning Bangalore-Delhi - Srinigar - Ladakh routing - Manali - Delhi given that the Manali - Leh road is not yet open.

The plan is to drive from Bangalore to Delhi and then onwards to Srinagar. The forum has loads on information on the route from Bangalore- Mumbai to Delhi but I have not been able to get any inputs on the route to Srinagar from Delhi.

I would appreciate if someone could provide inputs on the best route to be taken to Srinagar?

TIA

[akroy]

PM Kumar, you can get all his assistance. I think there are a few travelogues of Delhi BHPians from Delhi to upwards.

Check adc's travelogue as well. There was a guy who did Mumbai - Leh in SX4, you can see that travelgoue as well.

Abhi

[hvkumar]

In the attached file, you have a driving plan from Bombay to Ladakh. The first leg is Bombay-Delhi-Jammu-Srinagar, which may answer your query.

[indianrunner]

[FONT=&quot]Thanks HVK and Akroy.

I was also going through some other websites () and one recommendation was to go to Udhampur from Pathankot and onwards to Srinagar would save abt 100km and bypass Jammu. Your thoughts?

With regards[/FONT]

[hvkumar]

There is a route from Madhopur (PB-JK border) to Udhampur, but I am told that road is bad. You can ideally turn off at Kathua too to rejoin the same road. But let me caution you to stick to the NH1A in JK for safety reasons since the interior roads have less traffic and more army checking. NH1A bypasses Jammu from the Cantonment till Nagrota (as you can see form my route map) and is quite an optimal route.

Please bear in mind that the Jawahar Tunnel (between Rambal and Qazigund) is open only during day (8 am - 6 pm) and hence you will have to regulate your trip planning appropriately by starting from Jammu early in the morning or staying over in Udhampur/ Rambal.

[TheARUN]

Wish you all the best for your journey. Hope to follow in your footsteps sometime in the future.

By they way, what would be the set of wheels taking you there?

[Sha]

HvKumar I am also planning to leh but different route my query are
1)Bangalore to mumbai- do i need to enter mumbai city or there is bypass i really do not want to enter mumbai city and get lost
2)Udaipur-chandigarh- I need to enter new delhi or take deviation from gurgaon or any bypass
3)fuel station with rest room like BP dahaba in GQ from bangalore to chandigarh.
4)staying options in GQ from bangalore to chandigarh.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sha

HvKumar I am also planning to leh but different route my query are
1)Bangalore to mumbai- do i need to enter mumbai city or there is bypass i really do not want to enter mumbai city and get lost
2)Udaipur-chandigarh- I need to enter new delhi or take deviation from gurgaon or any bypass
3)fuel station with rest room like BP dahaba in GQ from bangalore to chandigarh.
4)staying options in GQ from bangalore to chandigarh.

No, you do not have to enter Bombay city. Instead, you have 2 bypass options that will get you through the Bombay region in an hour at most. This has been discussed in the Forum before, but I will be happy to guide you as and when you start on your trip.

You have to enter Delhi - although there are shortcuts, but not advised for those who are new - and that is also a pretty straightforward drive which I can help you out with. Ideally, you should plan your passage through Delhi region in the early morning so that traffic is least. From Gurgaon (South West) to Azadpur (North), it should take you less than an hour at that time.

I have details of good fuel stations in the Bangalore-Bombay-Delhi route and you can take some guidance on this from my log books.

Ideally, you can drive to Bombay, but even better you can stay in Pune (on the bypass itself) on Day 1. (Hotels Sadanand Regency)

On day 2, you could stay in Chittorgarh (Hotel Padmini/ RTDC Panna), or with some spirited driving, reach Kishnagarh (Hotel Panaghat).

For Day 3, you will unfortunately transit through Delhi in midday but you will reach Chandigarh before evening.

[Sha]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I will be happy to guide you as and when you start on your trip.
You have to enter Delhi - although there are shortcuts, but not advised for those who are new - and that is also a pretty straightforward drive which I can help you out with. Ideally, you should plan your passage through Delhi region in the early morning so that traffic is least. From Gurgaon (South West) to Azadpur (North), it should take you less than an hour at that time.

Definately will call you next month.
I checked out map there is route from Rewari-rohtak-sonipat how about this route.
your log book is excellent I have checked out.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sha

Definately will call you next month.
I checked out map there is route from Rewari-rohtak-sonipat how about this route.
your log book is excellent I have checked out.

Yes, that route is there, shorter, but you have to navigate narrow roads and Haryanvi villages, avoidable. NH8 till Gurgaon is a lovely 4-laner, followed by the Gurgaon Expressway, and from Azadpur/Sonipat, NH1 is also excellent.

[simply_sunny001]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Yes, that route is there, shorter, but you have to navigate narrow roads and Haryanvi villages, avoidable. NH8 till Gurgaon is a lovely 4-laner, followed by the Gurgaon Expressway, and from Azadpur/Sonipat, NH1 is also excellent.

Agree with HVKUMAR here,

Rewari--Rohtak--Sonipat route will be full of truckers and through the villages so avoid it and if god forbade your vehicle has some problem its hard to find help/mechanic on this routes.

so take GGN--Delhi--Sonipat--Panipat--Karnal--Ambala route.

[taranonline]

I recently went to patnitop.

took from jalandhar-pathankot-udhampur-patnitop.
returned via patnitop-jammu bye pass-pathankot.

Road via udhampur is no too good.

Take the Jammu route. Its simply superb road.

I am also planning for leh. Lets do it all along.

[Suneet]

Dear Freind we have done this trip 8 years ago. It was the first Qualis to ever cross 3500 Msl. We drove from Mumbai to Udaipur- delhi -Manali- to Sarchu via Rohtang [ between Manali and leh ther is only one fueling station some 100km from Manali.] From Sarchuu the next day you cross the first 5000msl pass. to reach Leh. We made Leh our base and travelled to the different lakes and to fulfil my college dream of driving on the world highest road khardungla. We came beck via Kargil and crossed zozila Pass [ 11,00 ft] to reach Srinagar. There is heavy Army convoy movement between Srinagar and Kargil and also in Most of Ladakh. Please be inforemd of the convoy timings as some of the passes become on way. we were stuck in zozila and Khardungla for Hours.
In these areas carry enough food for 2 extra days.
The place is beautiful to enjot it pl.. give yourself time to get acclimatised.
RGDS
Have Greta Trip
Suneet

[indianrunner]

Hi HVK,

Can you guide me on the route to be taken to bypass Pune and Mumbai while coming from Bangalore? I have your earlier google map and write up for Mumbai. Is that still valid? How about Pune.

I am tentatively scheduled to leave on Sunday or Monday early morning from Bangalore for my Leh trip.

With regards

[indianrunner]

Thanks HVK for all your help. The plan is to leave Blr tomorrow early AM and if I need assistance in passing through Mumbai I will certainly call you.

With regards